Apparatus for turning cigarettes



June 24, 1958 w. G. PALMER 2,840,222

APPARATUS FOR TURNING CIGARETTES' Filed Jan. 3, 1956 F IG.2 FIG.3

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v X k M I? rr 4 VENTOR G. PALMER WAR grad/4w ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,840,222 Patented June 24, 1958 APPARATUS FOR TURNINGCIGARETTES w Warren G. Palmer, Raleigh, N.C., assignorto American lIVIachine & Foundry Company, .a corporation of New ersey Application January .3, 19st, Serial No. 557,153

6'Claims. (1198-33 p rows onto a collector belt. Due to the method of manufacturingand cutting that is employed'in making such cigarettes, the tip ends of the cigarettes in each row face in opposite directions. "The cigarettes in one row then have to be turned so that the ,tip ends of these cigarettes will face in the same directionas the tip ends of the cigarettes of the .other row, preliminary to their being transferred in suitable containers to a cigarette wrapping machine.

Various devices have been made for doing this. Some of these devices have been found expensive to construct while others handle the cigarettes so roughly that the cigarettes have undesirable indentations formed thereon during the turning process.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cigarette turning device which is equally adaptable to receive cigarettes delivered axially or transversely to the turning device.

Another object is to provide a device which will turn tipped cigarettes facing in one direction to face in another direction.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cigarette turning device which will avoid having the cigarette contact any moving parts to effect a turning of the cigarette.

A further object is to provide a pneumatic means for turning a tipped cigarette.

A further object is to provide a cigarette turning device which will impart a gradual acceleration to the cigarette in effecting a turning operation on the same.

A further object is to provide a simple and reliable device for turning tipped cigarettes so that the tip ends will be facing in the direction desired.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my cigarette turning device.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation of my cigarette turning device taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the invention wherein the cover plate has been lifted from the cigarette turning device.

My cigarette turning invention is equally adaptable for handling cigarettes that are delivered axially or laterally to the device and turning the cigarette as it is conveyed through the turning device, so that it will be 2' discharg d therefrom facing in the direction desired. To illustrate :the invention I have shown how cigarettes de- Liz/cred laterally thereto from a collecting belt are haned.

The apparatus, employed to illustrate the invention consists of block 10 having an air passageway 12 formed therein and an exit window 14 through which cigarettes are ejected.

. The block 10 may be .made from a casting or extrusion of metal or plastic with the channel 12 formed therein at the time .the block is formed. Any other suitable method of formingand shaping the air passageway could likewise-beemployed to carry the invention into effect such as by milling or forming it from sheet metal.

vAn orifice 16 .is'provided in the passageway 12 and isform ed at an incline 18 shown in Fig. 2, so as to project a jet of high velocity air in the direction in which the cigarettes are to be moved in the passageway. This jet of air creates a suction at the entrance 17 to the air passageway 12.

The casting 10 is covered by a suitable cover plate 19 which may be made from a transparent plastic material and is secured by suitable fastening screws 20 threaded into suitable threaded holes formed in the casting 10. When the cover plate 19 is secured to the casting 10 the air passageway 12 is enclosed on all four sides,

7 leaving .openaonly the entrance 17 and theexit window .Air is caused to flow through the passageway by means; of the airjet just described.

In a cigarette making machine manufacturing tipped cigarettes, the tipped cigarettes are discharged onto a collecting device in two rows, so that the cigarettes in each row have the tipped ends facing in opposite directions as shown in U. S. Patent Reissue 19,375, granted November 20, 1934, to W. B. Bronander, and U. S. patent application, Serial No. 509,293 filed by George Dearsley on May 18, 1955.

By turning the cigarettes in one of these rows endfor-end they will be lined up in the same direction as the cigarettes in the other row. If alternate cigarettes are received axially from the cut-01f, they would be turned in a similar manner, but not necessarily 180 degrees, since in such a case a degree turn would be wholly adequate. My device has therefore been designed and adapted for receiving cigarettes and turning them to whatever degree is required to discharge them so that all of the tipped ends will be facing in the desired direction.

In this embodiment the cigarettes from one row are received by catcher belt 22 and transferred by a chute 23 to the intake entrance 17 of the air passageway 12. As soon as the cigarette gets in front of the air intake entrance 17, suction will cause the end of the cigarette closest to the wall 26 to be pulled in at a faster rate than the ends of the cigarette closest to the curved wall 28, thereby swinging the cigarette around so that it travels axially;

When the cigarettes pass beyond the air jet, they are caused to travel with the air stream to the ejecting window 14 where they drop one at a time down upon the second collecting conveyor 24.

It will be appreciated that the cigarette could have been ejected upwardly as well as outwardly so that instead of being pushed down through the window it would have been pushed upwardly or sidewise through a suitable opening formed in the end 11 of the block 10, or through a suitable opening formed in the cover plate 19.

The invention just described does not have any hammering effect on cigarettes which leaves objectionable imprints thereon. Also, where the term tipped cigarettes" has been used herein, it is intended to include within its meaning either cork tipped, filter tipped, or

. v V 3 V hollow mouthpiece cigarettes, any ofwhich may be readily used with this invention:

The invention h ereinabove described may. be varied in construction within the scope of the. claims, forthe particular device selected to illustrate the invention. is but 'one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

than theother side to therebycause'cigarettcs to-commence turning around at the air entrance to said passageway, said air passageway having a funnel shaped entrance and an arcuate configuration which will cause the cigarette to continue its turning until the cigarettes have been turned into the direction desired, and a collecting belt for receiving said turned'cigarettes; v

2. A cigarette turning device comprising an, air pas,- sageway having a 180 degree are formed therein, an orifice projecting an air stream into said passageway to cause a stream'of air to flow through said are, afdischarge window formed atthe far end of said passageway through which cigarettes are discharged facing in a direc- 4 end-for-end, pneumatic means for advancing cigarettes through said air passageway, said air passageway having a funnel shaped entrance'and an arcuate configuration which will result in the cigarettes following a turning path so that each cigarette will be facing in the direction desired when discharged from said cigarette turning device.

4. A device for turning cigarettes comprising a funnel entrance converging to an oflfset throat, an exit section and a duct connecting. said offset throat with said exit section, said throat having a nozzle with an orifice located angularly thereto for directing a jet of air longitudinally through said passageway.

5. A cigarette turning device comprising, an air passageway formed into venturi having ,a flattened cross section and an arcuate shape, a discharge opening at an angle to said passageway, an orifice introducinga jet I discharge station for discharging turned articles and a tion opposite to the direction in which cigarettes are reprising a source of supply of cigarettes which are to be 30 turned end-for-end, an air passageway formed in said device for receiving cigarettes which are to be turned duct'connecting the funnel mouth of said entrance with said discharge station, and means causing a flow of air through the entire length of said air passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,344,461 Hermani Mar. 14,1944 

